SLEEP

How did you sleep last night?

On the list of your priorities, sleep is most probably at the bottom. Yes, sleeping 7-9 hours a day is asking a bit much when your work day is 12 hours plus. But, is it all worth it?

According to studies sleep deprivation is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to:

• Stress and anxiety - will affect your sleep patterns drastically. With less sleep your stress levels will rise which in turn will reduce the need for sleep.

• Loss of concentration - Your brain is like an old Windows computer. It needs some time to rest before restarting, otherwise you’ll only end up with a blue screen and nowhere to turn but the plug.

• Memory loss - While you are sleeping your mind slows down and starts ‘filing’ everything your brain had to endure that day. With too little sleep your brain does not get enough time to store everything which forces the brain to dump whatever was not filed to make room for a new day.

• Loss of productivity - With little sleep your reactions are slower and your mind does not process information as quick as it should.

• Heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure are some of the few illnesses linked with sleep deprivation.

So, how much sleep is enough sleep? Getting about 7-9 hours of sleep every day is sufficient. Try to keep your bedtime the same every night as this will help your body ease into a pattern more easily. Never sleep with the light, television or any other light source on, make sure as little light as possible gets into the room.

If you are trying your best to get enough sleep, but still feel you wake up tired there might be other factors at play. First things first, take a good hard look at your lifestyle. Exercise is very important and you should get about 30 minutes of exercise each day. We do not all have time for the gym or yoga, thus you can incorporate exercise into your work day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, stretch every hour for about 5 minutes or you can even walk around when taking calls.

Getting enough fruits, vegetables and meat into your diet is also very important. But remember everything is best in moderation. Long hours usually mean you might drink more coffee. Remember to hydrate during the day to prevent dehydration which is also a main cause of sleep deprivation.

A great way to enhance all the above is with an Ozone Sauna. An Ozone Therapy Session takes about 30 minutes and this time can be optimized for resolving issues, thinking about new ideas or just shutting down and getting some much needed relaxation. With Ozone Therapy Sessions 2-3 times per week you can improve vitamin and mineral absorption during digestion, reduce chances of stroke, reduce chances of heart attack, relieve signs of stress, improve blood circulation, fight insomnia and improve your overall health.